Lost
by selfless1978
Summary: After tragedy strikes, can they face what comes after? Please review! Set in the 2012 realm.
1. Chapter 1

He was gone.

They stood on the rooftop next to the burning building, staring at it in disbelief. Waiting for the form to come out but knew he never would.

He was gone.

April turned her head away and cried into Casey's shoulder. Her sobs piercing the quiet around them.

He was gone.

Mikey had collapsed to the rooftop, unable to stand in his grief, tears pouring down his face. Donnie kneeled next to him and took him into his arms. Tears also freely falling down from his eyes.

He was gone.

Raph stood looking over the burning building, the building that had claimed his brother. Feeling helpless because there was nothing he could do.

Leo was gone. Lost in the explosion that destroyed the now burning building. Lost trying to save the others. Leo had held back the Kraang so they could get away and had paid for it with his life.

Raph looked through his own tear filled eyes at the others. He was the eldest now and it fell upon him to get them to safty. Once more he looked at the blazing building. "Leo..." He whispered. Then he gently ushered them away. By the time the cops and fire department arrived they were gone.

A burnt scrap of blue cloth floated upward in the breeze made by the fire below. Leo was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Where did it go wrong? How? Raph kept running this over and over in his head. It was supposed to be a normal mission, go in, beat up kraang and bust their stuff. So how did this tragic end come about? Leo...Leo was gone. He couldn't face it. Leo was GONE! Tears once again forming in his green eyes, he stumbled on. Leading his brothers and friends home, home that from now on would never feel the same. Home, to where he had to tell his father that his eldest wasn't coming back...

They quietly and somerly entered the lair to find Splinter waiting for them. He quickly noticed the absence of the eldest and took in the tear stained eyes of the others. "What happened?" He demanded.

Raph made his way to his sensei and when he looked Splinter in the eyes he couldn't hold it in anymore. Rapheal, the tough one, the one who never broke, collapsed in front of his father and broke down like a small child. "L-Leo...he's..." He couldn't finish, his throat closed up with sobs up and he broke down in tears. He sat in front of his father crying uncontrollably.

He felt Splinter's strong yet slender arms wrap around him, pulling him into a fierce hug. Raph held on to his father like a small child afraid of the dark. Behind him he could hear the others breaking all over again. This was something they had never wanted to have to tell Splinter and now they were torn open all over again at the sight of his grief as he clung to Raph, tears in his eyes.

After a long while they composed themselves. Splinter looked at them. "What happened?" he asked again but this time in a softer tone. Raph took a deep breath and began to talk.

.

.

_"There it is." Donnie told them pointing to a single story abandoned building. "That's where the power signature is coming from."_

_Raph groaned. Why did it always have to be abandoned buildings? Oh, well at least they were predictable. Raph figured that every abandoned building had a kraang base in it. Now there was a thought...maybe they should just go knock down every abandonded building. They would probably just go away because they had nowhere to hide. But then he wouldn't have any robots to bust up...screw it, abandoned buildings wern't that bad._

_"Any idea of what they are doing, Donnie?" Leo asked._

_"Who cares? Let's just go in and bust them up and break their little toy." Raph interrupted. He was about to jump down when Leo grabbed his arm._

_"No Raph. We have no idea what we are getting into. Donnie?"_

_"I've seen these kinds of reading befores. It looks like the have a portal in there. A large one."_

_"Dudes! Maybe they are trying to bring in more kraangy stuff? Like horrible mutated attack girraffes or something. Oh, wait! I know! Mutated teddybears!"_

_Raph just smacked his brother on the head, ignoring his "Ow!"_

_"Will you two knock it off! We are supposed to be-" Leo started._

_"Quiet." the others finished._

_April giggled. "I take it he says that a lot?" Casey asked._

_"You have no idea..." Raph told him._

_Leo just glared at them, then turned to survey the building. "There," He pointed "it's a sky light. Let's go see what they are up to." He pulled out a grappling hook and the other's followed suit. Except for Casey._

_"What's the matter?" Raph asked him._

_"I don't have one."_

_"You mean you got all that crap in that bag and you never thought of a grappling hook?" Raph asked amused._

_"Hey, I never thought I'd be hopping rooftops with a bunch of flippy floppy turtles." He shot back._

_"Ninja Turtles, bro. Not flippy floppy turtles." Mikey huffed at him._

_"Might as well be called that as much as you guys hop around."_

_"Actually it's called flips, not hops. See flipping involves the rotation of your body when you are-" Donnie spoke up._

_"WILL you guys quit!" Leo snapped. Then shot off his line. The others followed suit and they slid over the gap to the next building. Casey following close behind on Raph's line. So close that Raph wasn't completly surprised when Casey crashed into him on the other end. "Watch it you masked klutz!"_

_"Well you should have gotten out of my way."_

_"I'll show you getting out of the way!" And Raph tackled him back to the roof top._

_Leo just sighed and put his face to his hand, then moved to break them up. "Do you want to let them know we are-" Suddenly the roof under them folded in and they all fell to the next level below, right in the middle of a bunch of kraang. "here." Leo finished._

_"Uh oooh." Came from Mikey._

_"It is the one's called the turtles. Kraang, make the ones called the turtles from the state of alive to the state of not being alive." One of the robots said. Then a lot of blasters were raised aimed at them._

_"Move!" Leo snapped at them and they burst into a flurry of action. Leo and Mikey went left, Donnie and April went right and Raph and Casey plowed their way thru the middle. Blaster fire shooting all around them._

_"You would think these tin cans would learn to aim by now!" Mikey hollered as he slammed one to the ground._

_"Under the circumstances I'm glad they didn't, you goof!" Raph shouted back as he lept into the air and plunged his sais into a robot on each side of him. As he was in the air Casey rushed in underneath him and knocked down a third that was aiming his blaster up at Raph. Raph landed and spun taking out another that was trying to come up behind him._

_"Guys! I was right! It is a portal and they already have it activated! Something is about to come through!" Donnie called from across the room._

_"Can you take it out?" Leo called back._

_"Shouldn't be to much of a problem. Yikes!" Donnie ducked as blaster fire came is way, pulling April down with him._

_"We need to give Donnie some cover!" Leo told the others._

_Raph understood immidieatly and made his way over to the group of robots converging on Donnie and April. Again he lept high into the air and landed into the middle of them. Leo landed next to him shortly after and together they gave their brainiac brother the space that he needed. There were more crowding them in however, until Mikey came swinging in "Wooooo hooooo!" and took a few of them out. Then he flicked his chain to release it and landed next to his brothers swinging the chain back out again and pulling yet another off of it's feet. Casey had made his way to them also his hocky stick twirling and smacking the little brain like things out of their housing._

_By now Donnie and April had the cover off of the control panel and were working furiously to shut the portal down. Suddenly More kraang entered the room and the blaster fire intensified again. One badly aimed shot went between the turtles and hit the open control panel, barely missing Donnie as he pulled his hands back just in time. "Uh oh..." Raph heard him say._

_"What?"_

_"Guys we need to get out of here! This thing is overheating and it's going to blow any second!" Donnie screamed._

_Casey got some of his explosives out and threw them at the wall behind them, creating a very convienient door way._

_"Everyone out!" Leo snapped at them. "Go Raph!" He pushed his youger brother towards the exit even as the kraang were still closing in on them, with more coming in. Raph turned and followed the others out. It wasn't until he was across the street that he realised that Leo wasn't behind him. He turned and looked and saw him still inside holding off the kraang._

_"Leo!" Just as Raph was about to go and help his brother there was a blinding blue flash of light followed by an explosion. The shock wave hit Raph and slammed him into the building across the street. Then the building exploded into flames. "LEO! NO!" He screamed, even as he knew there was no way Leo could have survived the blast._

.

.

Mikey couldn't bear hearing to what happened. He couldn't listen to how his brother was taken from them. It just ripped the wound inside his chest open all over again. He silently slipped away to his room and closed and locked the door behind him. He just wanted to be alone. Numbly he moved to his unmade bed and laid down, kicking the blanket to the foot of the bed, then curling himself up into the fetal position holding his pillow tight against his chest.

How would they go on? How would they heal from this massive wound? Mikey started to tear up again and he just let himself go. He was starting to believe he would never quit crying. Leo, his big brother, the calm of any storm, the patient one who always had a smile for his little brother's antics, the one who always looked out for him. He knew he wasn't as good as a fighter as Leo and Raph but Leo never really rubbed it into his face, not like Raph does anyway. Leo believed in his little brother, he knew Mikey could come through if it was needed. Leo never really lost faith in him, was always there for him. Mikey could talk to him, tell him things that would have gotten him teased from his other brothers. And if Mikey was in trouble he knew Leo would always be there for him, he would always come through just like Donnie and Raph would. Their brotherly bond meant more to them than any danger they ever faced. And now Leo was gone. The main pillar, besides Splinter, of his life had been ripped away. Mikey cried, and cried. He lay on his bed, tears streaming from his eyes and sobs racking his chest. He hurt so much, he had never felt anything like this before in his life, and he didn't know what to do. Leo...why Leo...

Finally pure exhaustion finally overcame him and he fell asleep. His dreams weren't much better, he kept reliving the explosion over and over again. Kept having to see as his brother was incinerated in front of his eyes. Kept watching Leo die, again and again. He couldn't take it any more. Finally he woke up, drained, tired and not fully there, tears still in his eyes. He was loosing himself, he knew he was. He couldn't bear this and it was tearing his mind apart. He pulled the cover tighter around his shoulder. Wait...he didn't have a cover over him. How...? He tried to make his confused, tired and not altogether working right mind focus. Suddenly he felt a calm come over him. Like a large blanket of peace. Slowly he drifted off to sleep again but he could have sworn he saw something standing at the foot of his bed. Something that had a faint blue glow to it. '_Sleep, Mikey. I'm here.'_ he heard in his head. To tired to figure it out he drifted off to sleep and he slept with no more dreams.


	3. Chapter 3

After a long restless night Raph sat on the couch watching TV. Well, staring at the screen was more like it. His eyes were open but he wasn't seeing the pictures on the screen. He had somehow hoped last night had been a bad dream, but he awoke this morning to find it was all to real. Leo wasn't coming home. He looked around the lair, he was the only one up and the silence just made it worse for the brooding, green eyed turtle. He needed to do something, anything.

He got up and went to the punching bag. Maybe that would help. He hoped it would but wasn't sure if he could beat this demon away. He started working on the bag, hitting it, kicking it, anything to release the pain he felt. How many times had Leo held the bag for him? How mant times had he held it for Leo, the few times he did want to smack it around. Now they would never be able to hold the bag for each other again. They would never be able to spar together, joke with one another.

Raph thought back at all the times he had givin Leo a hard time, arguing over his choices, not listing and doing what he thought best, undermining his training attempts. The teasing. Lame-o-nardo he had called him, Splinter jr, teacher's pet. All Leo had wanted was to keep them safe and be a good leader to them and he did nothing but give him a hard time. He punched the bag some more, harder this time. The bag was swinging wildly now but Raph didn't care.

Never once did he tell his brother how much Raph needed him, how much the others needed him. Leo was the best suited to lead them. Raph had tried once and failed miseably. He finally understood how hard it had been for Leo after that incident with Snakeweed, but had never told him. Had never given his brother any respect for his efforts and now it was to late. He would never get that chance. He would never be able to tell Leo anything ever again. He hit the bag so hard that it flew off of it's stand. His inner rage and anguish still not satisfied he went to throw a punch at the wall that would have broken his fingers.

As his hand flew towards the wall Raph braced for the impact. He needed to feel something, something besides anger and grief. Pain would be a welcome distraction. Right before his hand hit the wall Raph felt something on his wrist, something that gripped him firm but gentle and stopped his hand from shattering on the wall. Immeadiatly he felt calm, his anger and grief flowing out of him. '_I understand, Raph_.' he seemed to hear, then the feeling on his arm was gone.

Raph stood there shaking, trying to clear his head. What had just happened? Confused and bewildered he didn't notice Donnie come into the room. "Hey Raph." He said quietly as he walked up to his brother. "How are you holding up?"

Raph tried to get himself under control, he pushed his confused state aside and concentrated on his brother. His family needed him right now. "Good as can be expected. You?"

Donnie just sighed and Raph could see the tears in his choclate eyes. "I don't know..I didn't sleep to good. I just couldn't."

"I know buddy. I couldn't either."

Donnie wiped his eyes and looked at the broken punching bag. "I'll go fix that for you."

"Nah, it's ok. I broke I'll fix it, that and I need something to do. I can't just sit here and do nothing. Why don't you go check on Mikey. I haven't seen him yet this morning."

Donnie nodded and went to look for their little brother and Raph went to go get the stuff he would need to rerig up the punching bag. As he walked he looked at his wrist, he still couldn't understand what had happened. He just shook his head and walked on, his overloaded mind was just playing tricks on him.

.

.

Donnie was just about to knock on Mikey's door when it opened. His little brother looked horrible, his eyes were bloodshot and Donnie could see the dried tear streaks on his face. "Oh, Mikey..." He wrapped an arm around his little brother. "Come on, let's make some breakfast." Mikey just nodded. Donnie hated to see him this way, of all of them he seemed to be taking it the hardest. Donnie had heard him crying last night and had tried to go into his room but found his door locked. His knocking had gone unheard, he had sighed and gone to bed himself, listening to Mikey as he struggled to come to terms with what had happened. Finally, what had seemed hours later, his little brother had grown quiet. Donnie had grown very concerned that this might break the usually fun loving turtle.

Even now Mikey just quietly walked along side his brother. His usual bubbly chatty self hidden behind what he had faced last night. They walked into the kitchen and Mikey just sat down at the table and put his head in his hands.

"What do you want this morning? Eggs?" Donnie asked him.

"I'm not really hungry."

Donnie sighed and went to sit by his brother. "I know it's hard. I miss him too-" Donnie choked off as he started to tear up. He wiped the tears away. "But we need to eat. We have to keep our strength up."

Mikey looked at him with tears in his eyes and nodded. "All right."

"Now what do you want?"

"I don't know."

Suddenly a box fell from the shelf by the stove. Stunned Donnie and Mikey looked at each other, there was nothing that could have knocked it over. Donnie got up to pick it up. It was Mikey's favorite cereal, and it had been Leo's. One of the few things their tastebuds had agreed on.

"Yeah, I'll eat that." Mikey said with a small smile. Donnie sighed, that was a good sign. If he could smile then he would heal. It would just take time. Still he didn't think it would be a good idea to leave him alone for to much. He'd have to talk to Raph and Splinter about that. He went and got a bowl, milk and a spoon and brought it all to his brother. As he was placing it on the table he heard a clatter in the fridge. What the... He went to go look as Mikey fixed his breakfast. He opened the fridge door to find the bottle of orange juice had fallen over. "Donnie, since your in there can you get me the orange juice please, bro?"

"Yeah...sure Mikey." He looked at the juice in his had in shock then brought it to the table and got Mikey a glass. Donnie then went to make himself something to eat. He sat down with his brother and together they ate in silence. Donnie just trying to be there for his little brother. They were almost done eating when Raph and Splinter walked in, Raph looking a little flustered. "Morning, Mikey. Mind if I share some of that cereal?"

"Sure, it's like the best cereal ever!" Mikey pushed the box over to Raph.

Raph poured himself a bowl and took a bite. "Hey, this stuff is pretty good." he smiled at Mikey.

"Ha ha! And you said you wouldn't like it. Wait until I tell Leo-" Suddenly he stopped and hung his head. Tears once again forming in his eyes. Everyone had grown quiet. "I'm sorry." Mikey whispered.

Raph laid his hand on Mikey's shoulder. "It's ok. We know."

Donnie sighed, got up and put his breakfast dishes in the sink to clean them. The others sat quietly at the table with Mikey as Donnie did his dishes hiding his own tears. He needed to be strong for Mikey.

Raph by now had finished his cereal. "Come on, buddy. I'll play some games video games with you." He gently led Mikey from the room.

Splinter sighed as he watched them go. Donnie could see the tears in his eyes also. "Sensei, I don't think we should leave Mikey alone for to much. He's taking this pretty hard. He was pretty upset last night still, more upset than I've ever seen him. I'm scared for him."

Splinter nodded his head. "I agree, my son. I will discuss the matter with Rapheal."

Donnie sighed. "I'll be in my lab if anyone needs me. I got some things I need to...do."

Splinter turned his head to look at him. "It is alright Donatello. We each have our ways of coping, if you need the time then take it."

Splinter knew him so well. "Yes, Master."

He went to his lab. He needed to get his mind off of what happened and losing himself in his projects was the best thing for him. He could work and put the everything else out of his head...usually. This time it wasn't working.

No matter how hard he tried to focus on his work, thoughts of Leo kept creeping in. The way his blue eyes lit up with amusement every time Donnie found something fascinating, and that quirky smile when he listened to Donnie explain something way over his head. The almost silent chuckle he did when Mikey looked at Donnie with complete and utter blankness at one of his explanations. Even his words of support when Donnie was struggling to find something to fix the current crisis. Leo was always there, his calming influence helping his younger brother think.

Donnie struggled with himself as he tried to clear his thoughts, he was trying to work on the new power cell for the shellraiser and this needed his complete concentration. Leo always drove the shellraiser. He was the only one Donnie really trusted to drive it, though they had all driven it before. Now who would drive it? It didn't feel right letting someone else drive it, that would always be Leo's spot...

He heard a crack and a fizzle and brought his focus back to what he was doing. "Oh no..." He had messed up, messed up bad. Not fully paying attention to what he was doing he had made a huge mistake. He had, instead of connecting the right parts to make a power cell, connected something the wrong way and it was overloading. It was going to explode...just like last night. Overload and explode. Stunned Donnie couldn't believe he had made such a dreadful mistake, he just stared at the now ruined powercell in betrayal.

Suddenly something crashed into him and he fell hard onto the floor a mere moment before the thing exploded. He landed on his stomache and he could feel someone's weight on top of him, shielding him from the blast and the small bits of shrapnel that flew across the room. He laid there for a few moments and then felt the weight lift off of him. He turned to thank whoever it was that had pushed him out of the way. There was no one there, only a faint blue glow that shimmered in the smoke then it to disappeared.

He heard the others burst into his lab. "Donnie! Are you alright? What happened?" Raph came to his side to help him up.

'Yeah..I'm fine. I just messed up." He looked around but the lab was empty of anyone else, it was just them. What had just happened?


	4. Chapter 4

That evening Splinter was meditating. He sat in the quiet dojo, alone, trying to find his inner peace but the recent turn of events troubled even his wise, well trained mind. The master was struggling himself with this enormous loss to his family. He hadn't felt this way since that day, so long ago, when he lost Tang Shen and thought he had lost Miwa. Sighing he opened his eyes and rubbed his forhead with his palm, he was getting a headache. He closed his eyes once more and tried again. He struggled for a little while then he felt a familier presence in the room. He slowly opened his eyes but there was no one there. But he could feel something... His gaze searched the room but found nothing. Sighing he closed his eyes for a third time. '_Father...'_ His eyes snapped open, this time he stood up. There was something here. Or something had been there, he didn't feel it anymore. Troubled he looked around, nothing seemed out of place.

"Sensei," Raph came into the dojo "we are going to go out. We want to check up on April and Casey. Haven't heard anything from them since they went home last night. That and maybe seeing them will help Mikey."

Splinter turned to look at him. "All right, my son. But remember this, none of you are in any good emotional state to fight. Stay away from trouble. Do not go against my wishes on this or I will have you three stay down here."

Raph sighed. "I understand fully, Sensei. I promise we won't go looking for anything, we just want to see April and Casey."

Splinter nodded. "Go. But be careful."

"We will." Raph turned and left the dojo.

Splinter watched him go, wondering if he was making a mistake by letting them go topside. But something inside told him it was the right thing to do and that everything would be ok. He looked around the dojo one more time, his mind still troubled. Something didn't seem right but he couldn't put the pieces together...yet.

.

.

Donnie was still troubled by the events in the lab this morning. It had been bothering him all day and he was thinking about it now as he gathered his things to get ready to go to April's. Raph was now letting Splinter know what their plans were for the evening. He and Raph had deccided to get Mikey out of the lair. He had drawn within himself more and more as the day wore on. Donnie could fully understand why, everything here reminded them of their older brother and Mikey was having a had time coping. It was hard on him and Raph also and the stress of being strong for their little brother was getting to them. They had to subdue their own grief to be strong for Mikey. Getting out of the lair would do them good, he hoped.

Donnie placed his bag onto his work table. He had packed a few things like snacks and drinks, they just wanted to hang out with their friends for a bit, no patrolling tonight. So he had packed his bag accordingly. He turned to go to his fridge to get some treats he knew his little brother really liked but Donnie had to hide from him if he ever wanted any. Donnie smiled as he pulled them out, little pizza rolls, Mikey loved those things. Maybe they could use April's microwave to warm them up. He placed them in a small cooler and went back to the table to place it in his bag.

When he got back to the table he noticed that his device he used to track kraang power surges was sitting next to his bag. He frowned, that hadn't been there before...had it? He could have sworn he had put it away on the shelf where it was supposed to go. He picked it up fully intending to put it back where it belonged, something stopped him though. He looked down at the machine in his hands and, not really understanding why, placed it into his bag. He zipped his bag up just as Raph was coming into the lab. "We got the ok to go. He just asked that we don't fight tonight. I told him that wasn't even close to our plans."

"Yeah, I don't think Mikey is up to it anyway. That's the last thing we need right now."

"I agree with you on that one. I don't think he's going to be up to it for awhile. I already called April and let her know we are coming. Casey is already there. We can go when ever you are ready, Donnie."

He grabbed his bag. "Let's go."

They got Mikey and they made their way to April's.

.

.

Raph led the way to April's. Once they got their he had his brother's wait on the roof while he went down to her window. He knocked on her window and waited for her to open it. When she did he had noticed that she had been crying. Seems like that's all any of them did anymore was cry. Raph had broken down a few times himself today when he was sure Mikey couldn't see him. "Hey, how are you guys holding up?" she asked him softly.

"I'm not sure we are. Especially Mikey." He replied just as quietly. "We are worried about him." Raph closed his eyes and sighed.

Casey came to the window. "Hey, Raph. So what's the plan for tonight?"

"We just wanted to hang out is all. See how you guys were doing and get Mikey out of the lair for a while."

"I talked to Dad. He said we could chill on the rooftop. Told me to hang out as long as I needed to and Casey got permission to stay here tonight." April told him.

"Thanks April."

She smiled. "It's all right, Raph. That's what friends are for. Can you come in and help me? I figured if we were going to be out there for awhile some blankets would be nice and some pillows to sit on."

Raph nodded and entered her room. Together the three of them bundled up all the pillows and blankets and Raph tied a rope around them. Then carrying the other end he made his way up to the roof and pulled them up behind him while April and Casey went up the stairs. This was easier than lugging it all up the narrow stairwell.

In a short period of time they had made a comfortable nest of pillows and blankets. They sat and talked about anything and everything and to Raph's relief Mikey started to open up and join the conversation. Donnie had pulled out his goodies and April went back downstairs to warm up the pizza rolls he brought. That even brought a smile on his little brother's face. Raph began to feel better, this was just what Mikey needed. To see that even though Leo was gone, there were still loved ones around. He knew this would be hard to deal with, heck even now he ached for his missing brother, but they would heal. In time.

Suddenly Raph had a strange feeling come over him. A feeling that something that had been missing wasn't missing anymore. He had been feeling this off and on all day, starting with the incident with the punching bag this morning. He looked around at the others and noticed the change in them also. "Ok, guys. I'm going to ask you something. Does anyone else feel...different?"

"I do." Mikey whispered.

"I've been having that feeling all day..." Donnie said quietly.

"In spurts." April added, and Casey nodded his agreement.

They were interrupted by the sound of beeping coming from Donnie's bag. With a stunned look on his face he pulled out the beeping machine. "That's not possible..." He whispered.

"What?" Raph asked him.

"I'm getting a kraang power reading...from right here."

Stunned they all looked at him. Raph was the first to recover. "But there is nothing-" '_Behind you, Raph_!' He immediately jumped to his feet and turned around, his sais ready in his hands, not even questioning what he just heard in his mind. He noticed the others were up and ready also, following his lead. They looked into the darkness and noticed a large shadow moving in.

"Well, well, well...look at what I found." Slash said as he moved into the light.

Raph growled in frustration, not tonight, please not tonight. "Leave us alone. Just go away and leave us BE!"

"Now why would I want to do that?" He looked around. "There seems to be one missing. What did he get to scared to come out with you? Your little pansy leader..."

Raph growled again but held his ground. He really didn't want to get into a fight, not tonight. "Just go away."

"No, I don't think I will. I'm going to make you regret turning my offer down when you had the chance." And then he lunged at Raph. He swiftly dodged out of his way but Mikey wasn't as quick. Slash picked him up and slammed him to the ground. Damn it! Mikey was in no mental condition to fight! Why wouldn't Slash just leave them alone! Raph roared and charged the larger turtle as Donnie pulled Mikey away from them. He was ok but he was stunned and Raph could see him shutting down again. This was not what he wanted! Now in a full rage Raph attacked the intruder. April and Casey went to help Donnie in trying to get Mikey out of harm's way. They knew they were no match against the large being.

Raph fought with grief and anger. Hadn't they suffered enough? Been through enough? Lost enough? Raph fought but he knew he was losing his mental control also and in this situation he was no match for Slash. His emotions were getting the better of him and he was making mistakes. This was why Splinter had told them not to fight, but he had too. Finally Slash caught him with a blow that sent him crashing into Donnie. Slash then slowly stalked up to them and raised his morningstar over his head. "Pity, I thought this would be more fun."

"Leo, please help us!" came Mikey's tear filled shout. Raph closed his eyes knowing his brother was losing it, there was no way Leo could...

Suddenly there was a blue light forming in between them and Slash, a light that surrounded a familiar form. He stood tall, his mask bands flowing in an unfelt breeze behind him and had his katanas in his hands, his glare fixed onto the larger turtle.

Raph looked in stunned amazement. "Leo..." He whispered. He felt Donnie reaching for his device which was now beeping uncontrollably. "This isn't possible..." Raph heard him whisper.

In a fury the glowing form of his eldest brother went after Slash. His blades dancing with the grace they all remembered, cutting into the large turtle. Slash tried to fight back but could not connect with the glowing form, his fists and morning star passing harmlessly through Leo's body. They saw fear in Slash's eyes as Leo kept up his attack, leaving more and more cuts on him. Finally the larger turtle backed away. "What are you..." He whispered in fear as Leo slowly stalked in again. Finally unable to take anymore Slash fled, running swiftly away.

Leo stopped and turned to face his brothers and friends who were looking at him in shock and amazement. "Leo..." Raph choked out, a sob forming in his throat.

Leo looked at all of them and smiled, then he faded from sight.


	5. Chapter 5

Stunned into silence they sat on the roof top, not quite understanding what had just happened. Donnie was actualy shaking and he had to put his device down before he dropped it. Was that really Leo? Then earlier in the lab... Could that have been... He quickly picked up his scanner again. He had built it with a memory timestamp database in it, to record any times the thing went active. He reviewed the information, sure enough there was a small spike when the explosion happened and more, there were small spikes on it through out the day but this last one was huge enough to sent the machine into a frenzie.

He took a deep breath. "Um guys..." they all turned to look at him. "Can we talk?"

"About what?" Raph asked his eyes still wide.

Donnie took a deep breath. "I don't think this is the first time this has happened."

"It's not..." Mikey whispered. They turned to look at him. "Last night... I couldn't...couldn't bear what had happened. I couldn't even sleep because of nightmares. I was hurting so much when I woke up. Then I just...felt him. He was there, I heard him and I could of sworn I had seen him in my room. Jeez he even covered me up...like he used to when we were little kids and I couldn't sleep.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Raph asked him gently.

"I sort of forgot about it, until I saw Slash about to take us out. Somehow I knew he could help... I don't know why..."

Donnie took a deep breath. "I think I saw him today too." They looked at him. "The explosion in my lab earlier. He pushed me out of the way. Mikey did you notice a blue glow last night?" Mikey quietly nodded his head. "I saw the glow too." Donnie told him.

Raph looked thoughtful. "He didn't glow for me, but I think know that it was him that kept me from...breaking my hand on the wall after I broke the punching bag. Did anyone else...hear him?" again Mikey nodded.

"I heard him." April spoke up quietly. "I was so upset on the way home last night, wasn't watching where I was going... I almost walked right into a large hole in the ground where a construction crew had opened it up. A voice in my head told me to stop..."

Donnie looked at Mikey "The kitchen!" they said together. Quickly Donnie told them about the box of cereal and orange juice falling over.

Casey finally spoke up. "I tripped on the stairs, something caught me before I fell."

Donnie had been thinking. "What were you all thinking about when all this happened."

"Leo." came out from all of them.

Donnie narrowed his eyes. "I want to try something. Will you guys help me?"

"What's on your mind?" Raph looked at him.

Donnie put his device in front of him on the ground where he could watch it. Then he got into mediataion pose. "Everyone, think about Leo. Please just trust me. I have a theory. Maybe if we all do this together..."

"Then he will come to us." Raph finished. Together they sat in a circle and held hands. Quietly they sent their thoughts out to him, hoping this would work. Heck Donnie wasn't even sure if it would. After mintutes of trying to reach out to him, Donnie heard Mikey whisper "Please, Leo."

The space in front of them started to glow again, this time not as bright and his scanner started to beep again. They could see Leo's shadowy form in the middle of the glow. "Guys keep sending your thoughts, try to keep him here. I need to talk to him."

_'Donnie...'_

_'I'm here, Leo. Hold on. Please don't go yet.'_

_'I'm getting tired. I want to go home...I want to see Sensei.'_

_'Talk to me. What happened?'_

_'I don't know. Blue flash, I'm stuck somewhere. Can't move my body...'_

_'But your spirit can travel?'_

_'Meditation...Donnie, please help...me.'_

_'Hang on, Leo. Please hang on.'_

_'So tired...fight drained me...'_

_'Leo! I need you to rest now. Don't reach out anymore. I think I know where to find you. Please big brother save your strength now. We will call you one last time then we will bring you home.'_

_"Donnie...I want to go home...'_

_'You will, rest now.' _"Let him go guys." he told the others in a whisper. Quietly they watched as Leo once again faded from view. "Well Donnie, did you get something out of him?" April asked him quietly.

He took a deep breath. "Guys we need to get back to the lair. I need to grab some things and Master Splinter needs to come with us."

"Come with us? Where? Why?" Raph asked him stunned.

Donnie looked at Raph. "Back to the place where we lost him. Leo want's Splinter and I think he should be there when we do this. I don't think he's dead but he will be if we don't hurry." After a stunned silence they were all up and moving, making their way back to the lair as quickly as they could.

.

.

"You want to run that by me again?" Raph told his brother, stunned that he heard what he heard. He was driving the shellraiser and he was sure as shell not paying attention to speed limits.

Raph heard Donnie sigh. "As far as I can tell he got sucked into the portal. It happened before when April, Casey and I sent the worm back. The difference is I programmed it to do that. I'm assuming when the blaster fire hit the control panel it may have had the similar effect."

"Then why didn't he just go straight through to the other end?" Mikey asked.

"Because the dimensional 'hallway', if you will, collapsed around him with the explosion, trapping him there."

"How did you figure all of this out?" April asked him.

"The kraang power surge readings. Every time he tried to make contact the scanner would spike. He has to get through the kraang energy fields to reach us. But every time he does it takes more out of him. I have a bad feeling he is about done. He can't hold on much longer, the fight with Slash used up a lot of his mental energy."

Raph growled and pushed the vehicle even faster. 'I won't lose you again, Leo'. Donnie had told them that in order to get to Leo they had to open up the exact same hallway that he had been sucked into. That meant going back to the building where the explosion took place and opening a portal where the old portal was. They just hoped they could get him out in time.

With screeching tires he brought the shellraiser to a halt next to the building and they all got out. "Now what, my son?" Splinter asked Donnie.

"This way." was the reply and they carefully made their way to where what was left of the portal stood. "April I'm going to need your help." Together the played with the control panel, hooking it up to the contraption Donnie had brought with him. It was the little kraang teleporter device that April had brought to them before the worm incident. Donnie had somehow fixed it up. "This won't be strong enough to open a complete portal but we don't want to go see the kraang anyway. It's just enough to open our side and hopefully get him out." Donnie explained to them. "When I tell you I want all of you to reach out to him. I hope he has enough energy to push himself out."

They waited quietly as Donnie and April swiftly worked on the machine. Hooking up the control box to the little device to get the exact hallway they needed. Finally they both looked up as Donnie turned it on. "Now guys reach out to him." They again felt his presence as they sent him their strength but it was so weak this time, it was getting closer though. Then it stopped moving all together.

"Something is wrong." Raph whispered.

_'Leo!'_

_'Raph...' _He sounded so weak...

_'Come on, buddy. We are waiting for you.'_

_'I can't...I'm trying but I can't.' _His voice was very faint.

'_Leonardo, we are here with you. Come to us.'_ Raph heard Splinter.

_'I'm...trying...Father...so...tired.'_ Raph could barley hear him. "Damn it! We are losing him!" He snapped.

"Guys we can't hold this open for much longer. We need to get him out, now!" Donnie told them.

"Mikey tie me off!" Mikey pulled out his chain and handed the end to Raph who quickly wrapped it around himself then he ran and plunged into the portal as the others held on. As soon as Raph entered the portal he saw Leo, he was burned, battered and hanging limp in what seemed like midair. Leo had moved close enough to where Raph's momentum carried him to Leo. Finally he was able to hold on to his brother he thought he would never see again.

_'I got you, Leo.'_

_'Raph...help me.'_

_'I'm right here. I got you and I won't let you go.'_

_'I can...rest now?'_

_'Yes big brother, rest. We will be there when you wake up. You heal your mind and we will take care of the rest of you.'_

_'Finally...I can...go home...'_

_'Don't worry, we will get you home. Rest now.'_

_'Home...'_

Raph held his brother close with one arm then tugged hard once on the chain then wrapped his other arm around Leo. He was then pulled towards the portal. As he got closer he heard Donnie telling the others to hurry, the door was about to collapse. He looked towards the opening and he could see them, they were so close.

Then the door started to close, they weren't going to make it out. He heard Splinter shout "No!" And then he gave the chain a mighty pull, sending Raph and Leo flying out of the portal just as it snapped shut. Raph held Leo close and turned so he would land on his shell with Leo on top of him. He closed his eyes and rested his head on the ground, tears forming behind his eyelids...they had made it, they had brought Leo back.

He opened his eyes to see the others gathered around him and Leo. Donnie looked over his older brother. "We need to get him home. He needs medical help, those burns look pretty bad." They lifted Leo off of Raph and he stood up. Gently they brought Leo to the shellraiser and laid him down inside. Once they had Leo secured, Raph drove them home, this time they went home as a complete family again.

.

.

He woke up in his bed in his quiet room. Home...he was home. Tears sprang to his eyes, he thought he would never see this room again. He moved to wipe the tears from his eyes and winced as pain shot through his burned arm. He saw something move and he turned his head to look. Mikey came to sit beside him on the bed.

"Mikey..."

"Hey, Leo. Welcome back."

Leo looked at his little brother, remembering how torn apart he was. He remembered all the times he had reached out to his family and friends but Mikey's tormented night he remembered the best. Mikey had been so close to losing himself with grief and that was what had made Leo reach out, he had felt his brother's need for him. He reached out his hand carefully and placed it on Mikey's. "How are you doing?"

Mikey looked at him with tears in his eyes. "Better now."

Leo met his gaze. "I should thank you little brother."

"For what?"

Leo sighed. "Because your the one that made me reach out in the first place. None of this would have been possible if your heart hadn't been so filled with love for me. Don't ever change, Mikey. Your perfect just the way you are." Then he pulled him down into a careful hug. Mikey clung to the brother he thought he would never hug again and burst out in tears, with Leo quietly holding him.

Donnie came into the room then. "Leo! Your awake." Leo could see the relief in his brother's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"Alive." He smiled and Donnie smiled back at him. "And honestly a little hungry."

Donnie chuckled. "I wonder why. You have been out of it for three days."

"Dude, I'll go make you some breakfast!" Mikey chirped. He released the hug, wiped his eyes and took off towards the kitchen. "Guys! Leo is awake!" He bellowed as he left the room. Leo chuckled at his little brother.

Donnie took Mikey's spot on the bed. "I'm sorry I took me so long to figure it out. Lord knows you left enough clues."

"I'm just glad you did. I couldn't really do much. Every time I came it was because I felt you needed me. By the time I did what I could to help, there was nothing left in me to stay and tell you."

Donnie looked at him. "So that _was_ you in the lab..." Leo nodded.

"And that was you that held my arm back, wasn't it." came Raph's voice from the door.

Leo looked at him. "What on earth made you want to punch the friggin wall, hothead?"

Raph looked at him. "Because I never got the chance to tell you that I respect you, that we need you and...I love you. We all love you." Raph looked down. "I felt bad because I thought I never would get the chance to say that."

"Raph, I know and I love you guys too."

Donnie was looking at him. "There is just one thing I don't understand."

"What?"

"_How_ were you able to reach out like that?"

Leo used Mikey's arrival with his breakfast, Leo smiled it was cereal and orange juice, to put his thoughts together. Donnie and Raph helped prop him up and Mikey placed a tray in his lap. "I really don't know. I found out pretty quick that I couldn't do anything physically. So I just pulled myself into my mind. I found out that I somehow could reach out for short periods of time. I don't know how."

"Hmm I wonder if it had something to do with your brain waves mixing with the kraang power signature..." Donnie mused.

"I don't know and I really don't want to go through that again to find out." Leo told him.

Donnie laughed "I wasn't going to ask you to."

"I don't know Donnie, you had that weird look in your eyes." Raph teased him.

"Yeah dude, you totally had the geek-o look on your face." Mikey added.

"Geek-o?" Leo laughed. "Is that even a word?"

"It is now." Mikey grinned.

They just stood quietly while Leo ate. Once he finished his breakfast Mikey took the tray away.

Raph watched his little brother go. "He took it so hard." He whispered. Then looked at Leo.

"I know Raph. I felt him. And I felt you guys too, trying to hide your own pain to be strong for him. I just wish none of you had gone through that." Leo replied softly.

"And yet this is something that we must face every day, my sons." Splinter said coming into the room, April and Casey following him. It was starting to get crowded but Leo didn't mind. "But maybe this experience will have a positive side. You have found out how strong your bonds with each other truly are and this can only make you stronger."

"Sensei..." Leo looked up to his father.

"Welcome back Leonardo. Our home has been empty without you."

"Thank you." He could feel the tears forming again.

"Come, let us go. He needs rest now." Splinter turned and they all followed him out except Donnie.

"You're on bed rest for a few days. You didn't escape the blast unharmed though I guess you got lucky that portal pulled you in. You have some burns that need to heal and some bruising. We agreed that one of us would stay with you in case if you need anything. After all that you did to be there for us it's the least we can do. Besides, we aren't ready to leave you completely alone. Not after what just happened."

Leo looked at his brother. "Honestly, I don't want to be alone. You have no idea how good it was to wake up and see Mikey sitting there." He whispered.

Donnie just smiled and laid a hand on Leo's arm. "I think I do. Get some sleep. I'll be here."

Leo laid back into his pillows and closed his eyes. Sleep came to him easily with the knowledge that his family and friends were there for him, just like he would always be there for them. That would never change.


End file.
